WATER UPDATE: Boil water advice stays in place

The “boil water” alert remained in force today for 300,000 Lancashire homes as United Utilities bosses waited for scientists to give the all-clear.

Experts from Public Health England will later have talks with United Utilities chiefs and representatives from the Drinking Water Inspectorate to assess the situation a week since the cryptosporidium crisis began.

Until then the advice to boil tap water before drinking remains in place.

A spokesman for United Utilities said: “We are making progress – all the time the water is improving. Traces of cryptosporidium are getting smaller.

“We are still in the hands of the scientists who are continuing to take samples and as soon as we feel able to lift the boil water alert we will do so.”

The alert was sounded after traces of the bug were found at the Franklaw water treatment centre in Catterall, near Preston.

For all our coverage on the water contamination in Lancashire visit the links below: